Methods and apparatus for inserting



Feb. 21, 1956 2,735,345

L. RODE METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INSERTING FILTER SUBSTANCES IN MOUTHPIECES FOR CIGARETTES, CIGARS, AND THE LIKE Filed'March 5, 1953 1% ENTOR. 4?-

United States Patent METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR INSERTING F IL- TER SUBSTANCES IN MOUTHPIECES FOR CIGA- RETIES, CIGARS, AN 1) THE LIKE Ludwig Rode, Kreis Lauenburg, SchlesWig-Holstein, Germany, assignor to Kurt Korber & C0. K. G., Hamburg- Bergedorf, Germany Application March 5, 1953, Serial No. 340,489 Claims priority, application Germany March 18, 1952 10 Claims. (Cl. 583-77) The invention relates to a method and apparatus for introducing filter substances into the mouthpiece section of a cigarette, cigar or the like by means of air flow. It is known to blow cotton wool fibres for example, into the hull of a cigarette or the mouthpiece thereof, both in intermittent and in continuous processes. The blowing of cotton wool into the mouthpiece has however been shown to be very disadvantageous in that by the cutting of the cotton wool plug from the rod or stream and with blowing feed, such an amount of the cotton fibres collect after some hours operation of the machine that the machine is stopped and must be cleaned.

The invention aims at avoiding this disadvantage in that the filter plugs, preferably of cotton wool, are sucked into the cigarette hull or into the mouthpiece. Thereby the tobacco remains unaffected and the fibres produced by cutting do not pass into the mouth of the smoker or do not soil the machine.

The machine or apparatus according to the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in the form of one constructional example and by which the method according to the invention for sucking in the filter material will be described.

Fig. 1 shows the apparatus according to the invention seen from the side, Fig. 2 is a plan partially in section, Fig. 3 is a partial section on a line AB of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a partial plan of Fig. 3 and Fig. 5 is an end view of the plunger for sliding in the mouthpiece.

As is known in the production of mouthpieces from a continuous paper strip, three triangular tongues can be punched out, which project radially inwardly of the mouthpiece to be coiled therefrom and form retaining means for the cotton wool plugs, in order to avoid the cotton wool from entering too deeply into the mouthpiece. The production of such mouthpieces is known and does not form part of the invention. Likewise it is known to blow cotton wool into the mouthpiece. For sucking in the cotton wool plugs a special device is provided.

According to the invention this device comprises essen tially a rotary body 1 in the radial bore 1a of which the mouthpiece is inserted in known manner. The rotary body 1 has four communicating bores 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, spaced one to the other by 90 and shown herein for example as arranged in a horizontal plane. Towards the centre of the rotary body 1 there is located in each case a further bore 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, which here run perpendicular to the bores 10, 1b, 1c, 1d and are in communication therewith.

In the bore 2a opening into the mouthpiece feed bore in there is fed, according to Figs. 1 and 3, from above and preferably continuously, a cotton wool fibre stream 3 or a stream of other filter material, which for example is fed forwards by a driven serrated wheel 4 which forces the stream 3 against the inner wall of an inlet tube 4a. A gear wheel 5 is located on the shaft of the Wheel 4 which is connected through gear wheels 6 and 7 with a wheel 8 driven by a wheel 9 from the shaft 10. For the 2,735,345 1C Patented Feb. 21, 1956 purpose of ready introduction of the cotton wool stream into the tube 4a, the wheel 5 with its transmission wheels 6, 7 and 8 is supported by a rocker plate 11 which is pivotally mounted on the frame of the apparatus at 11a.

The apertures 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, have preferably rounded edges in the rotary body 1 in order that the continuous introduction of the cotton wool stream 4 can always proceed smoothly. Generally the cotton wool is already introduced into the bore 2a before the mouthpiece is slid into the bore 1a.

The mouthpiece M will be seen in Fig. 2 in the bore 1a. M1 represents the radial, inwardly directed paper tongues. After the mouthpiece M has been introduced in known manner into the bore 1a, the rotary body 1 makes a partial rotation for example through in the present case in a counterclockwise direction. A preferably stationary knife 12 is provided above the rotary body 1 (see also Fig. 4) which here moves over four sharp edged strips 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d, rigidly connected to the rotary body and serving as counter knives. By the rotary movement of the rotary body 1, in each case one of these strips comes into shearing contact with the knife 12 and cuts a piece of cotton wool from the stream 3.

Below the bore 2a (Fig. 3) is located a connection to a suction pipe 14 through which the air present can be withdrawn. By this means and in this way the feeding movement of cotton wool stream is effected and a reliable introduction into the bore 2a is obtained. In order that the cotton wool plug shall not be drawn in the suction pipe 14 the bores 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, include filter discs 15 in their lower parts.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a push-out plunger 17 supported in the machine frame 16 which is formed as a hollow plunger and includes an opening 18 about at its centre which during the reciprocation comes into alignment with an aperture 19 provided in the frame 16 as shown in Fig. 2. The aperture 19 is connected to an air pipe 20 and is constantly under suction. The forward end of the hollow plunger 17 carries a cross pin 21 to which is fastened a short forwardly closed tube 22 provided with apertures. At the base of this tube 22 small slots 23 can be left between it and the inner wall of the hollow plunger 17 so that here also air can be sucked out. The tube 22 is so long that when the mouthpiece M presses against the cross pin 21 the forward end contacts the triangular paper tongues M1 in the mouthpiece.

When the rotary body 1 has effected its rotation through 90 the hollow plunger 17 moves towards it and enters as shown in Fig. 2 by the tube 22 into the rolled paper mouthpiece M. Lateral longitudinal grooves are out along each bore 1a, 1b, 1c, M, in the rotary body 1 in order that the cross pin 21 of the hollow plunger 17 can enter into the bores of the rotary body. At the moment when the hollow plunger 17 enters the rotary body 1 the former draws the cotton wool plug firmly into the mouthpiece M. Upon the further movement of the hollow plunger into the rotary body 1 the air is pre vented from passing therethrough since the opening 18 in the hollow plunger 17 is no longer in communication with the suction port 19.

The hollow plunger 17 slides the mouthpiece with the cotton wool through the rotary body 1, so that the mouthpiece reaches the dotted position M2 in a split metal tube 24 of a feeder head 25 located in front of the rotary body 1. A cigarette paper sleeve or hull 26 is slid in known manner from the opposite side over the tube 24. Thus the wall of the metal tube 24 lies between this sleeve or hull 26 and the mouthpiece M. Both the rotary body 1 and the feeder head 25 move forward stepwise as will be described below and in step one with the other.

.shaft in stepwise rotation. also transmitted stepwise to the shaft 38 of the rotary body 1, by means of worm wheels 34, 3S and thence by Each'tinie, "after theplung'er 17 has been moved from the dotted position shown towards-the right, out of the rotary body 1, the latter andithe feeder head are moved on stepwise until the cigarette sleeve or hull with the mouthpiece in the'feeder'hearl'ZS come opposite another plunger device, alsoknown initselfl'which strips off the sleeve and the mouthpiece from the holder 24. This plunger device consists of a plunger proper 27 and a slider 28 actuated by means'of'a blade spring 28a, which strips on the Cigarette sleeve 26 from theholder 24 ofthe feeder ,head 25. At the'same time the rolled mouthpiece M is pushed out of theholder '24'bymeans of the'head 27a of'the plunger 27. The sleeve with the mouthpiece'held withinit under tension is forced in known manner'into a turret in which connection of the parts is effected, and in which a mass of tobacco is forced into the sleevefrom 'the other side.

The method'of operation of the apparatus according to the invention so far as it has not already been described is asfollows: The stepwise drive of the rotary body 1 is effected, for example by a motor 28 through a belt 'drive 29, gear wheels 3%, 31 and a cam 32 which actuates the disc" provided with actuating pins 33a and thus the This rotary movement is bevel wheels 36, 37 (see also Fig. 3). The shaft 10 and the shaft 38 rotate stepwise in synchronism one with the .other.

The reciprocation of the plungers 17, 2'7, 28, 28a occursduring each stationary phase. The movement of the plunger 17 is effected by means of a connecting rod 39-.pivoted to the gear wheel (see'Fig. 2), which rod is pivoted to a slide member 40 at its other end, which is guided on a stationary slide bar '41. The other plunger '27 receives its drive by means of a crank disc 42 mounted on a shaft 32a of the cam disc 32, which crank disc reciprocates the plungers 27, 28, 28a by means of a connecing rod 43. This plunger also is operated by means of a slide member 44m which the rod 43 is connected and which is guided on a stationary slide bar 45.

What I claim is:

1. In the production of filter mouthpieces for cigarettes, the method comprising the steps of positioning a slug of filter material outside one end of a mouthpiece sleeve,

entering the hollow perforated head of a plunger through the opposite end of said mouthpiece sleeve, creating a vacuum in the interior of said hollow perforated plunger 'head so as to force said slug-into said mouthpiece sleeve by suction, eliminating the vacuum from said plunger head, and removing said plunger head from said mouthpiecesleeve.

2. In the production of filter mouthpieces for cigarettes, the method comprising the steps of feeding a string of filter material into a first bore in a rotatably mounted carrier member, severing said string at the entrance to said first bore so as to leave a slug of said filter material in said first bore, introducing a mouthpiece sleeve into a second bore in said carrier member communicating with said first bore, rotating said carrier member so as to bring said :mouthpiece sleeve into register with a reciprocally mounted plungerhaving a hollow perforated head, introducing said plunger head into said mouthpiece sleeve,

creating a vacuum in the interior of said hollow perforated plunger headso as to force said slug into said mouthpiece sleeve bysuction, relieving said vacuum, and removing said plunger head from said mouthpiece sleeve.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2, including the step of sucking said slug into said second bore to a position in fIOIlll'Df one end of said mouthpiece sleeve'prior to 'creatingsaid vacuum in said plunger head.

4. In thep'roduction of filter mouthpieces for cigarettes,

ithe method-comprising-the 'steps'of-feeding a string of I filter mater-ial into firstbore in a carrier member,-severing said string at the entrance to said first bore-so as-to 4 leave a slug of said filter material in said first bore, applying "suction -to the inner end of said slug -so as to suck -it into a second bore in said carrier member transverse to said first bore and communicating therewith, introducing a mouthpiece sleeve into said second bore so as to position one end of said mouthpiece sleeve adjacent said slug, introducing thehollowperforated head of a reciprocably .mounted plungerrinto the other'end of said mouthpiece sleeve, creating a vacuum in said plunger head so-as to force said slug intosaid mouthpiece sleeve by suction, relieving said vacuum, and .removing said mouthpiece sleeve and slug from said second here by longitudinal displacement of said plunger.

5. In an .apparatus for producing filter vrnouthpicces for cigarettes, .a rotatably mounted carrier member, a plurality of dianretrical passages "through said carrier member, for receiptof amouthpiece sleeve in each end portion of said passages, transverse bores in said carrier member leading fromthe outside into said passage one at each sideof the center of said carrier'memberandall said bores having their centers on a circle the center ofiwhich lies on the axis of rotation of said carrier member, feeding means associated with said carrier member and having its outlet on said circle for feeding a string of filter material toward said carrier member, means associated with said carrier member for intermittently rotating said carrier member to successively .place ,said bores in registry with said outlet to permit saidstring of filter -material to be fed into said bores successively, severing means associated with said carrier memberfor severingsaid string of filter'material'adjacent the entrance to the boreinto which'said filter material is being fed so as. to leave aplug of. said filter material in thepassage communicating'with said bore and ina position adjacent theinner end of said mouthpiece sleevesupported .in said end portion of the passage, plunger means reciprocably mounted adjacent the circumference of-said carrier means in alignment with one ofsaid diametrical passages when said carrier member is intermittently at rest with said feeding means outlet'in registry with a bore leading to another of said diametrical passages,.a hollow perforated head on said plunger means,means operatively connected with said plunger means for moving said plunger .head into the mouthpiece sleeve in the passage in registry with said plunger means, and vacuum means operatively connected with saidplunger headfior temporarily creating a vacuum in said plunger head when in said mouthpiece sleeve so as to force said slug offilter material into said mouthpiece sleeve by suction, said means .for .moving said plunger being operative to then continue said movement of the plunger throughsaid diametricalpassageto eject said mouthpiece sleeve and slug therefrom at the opposite end of said passage and to retract said plunger and head from. said passage.

6. The, apparatus as-set forthin claim 5, .in which said feeding means comprises a guidechute for said string of filter material, a corrugated roller associated with said guide .chute, and means .operatively connected withrsaid roller to cause it to rotate continuously while pressing .againstsaidstring of filter material insaid guide-chute tofeed saidstring towards said. carrier member.

7. The apparatus asset forth inelaim 5, in which'said severing means comprises a cutting edge on said carrier :member adjacent .eachof said bores, ands-stationary ;knife adjacent-said carrier member in aposition to cooperate with said cutting edges successively during the V intermittent rotation of said carrier member.

8. The apparatus asset forth in claim 5, including vacuum means adjacent said carrier member and operativelyconnectible with-said passages successively at the side thereof opposite said bores so as to force said plug elf-filter material by suctiontrom said bore into -:said

passage.

1 9. The apparatus as setiforth in claim 5, including a pin extending transversely through said plunger means and projecting at both ends therefrom in a position to engage the outer end of said mouthpiece sleeve when said plunger head is disposed in said mouthpiece sleeve, whereby said pin causes said mouthpiece sleeve to participate in said continued movement of said plunger and to thus be ejected.

10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 5, in which said means for intermittently rotating said carrier member includes a cam drive.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Semenoif Mar. 13,

Gueniffet et a1 Mar. 17,

Aivaz Mar. 24,

Bernd Mar. 19,

McBean et a1. Dec. 16,

FOREIGN PATENTS Austria Apr. 25,

Germany June 9, 

